Anxiety And Depression Brought By Vision Loss – Mental Health Therapy Discussion

These therapy sessions are all new to me. I have experienced many emotional and mental issues before, but this is the first time I consulted a professional. I don’t entirely believe in the logic of telling a stranger your worries and fears because I respect my right to privacy and need for specific aid. But since the whole process is somewhat the same as confiding to a friend, I thought maybe I could give it a try.

My reason for seeking professional help is due to the worsening symptoms of my anxiety and depression. At first, I thought it was all in my mind and that I can get over it in no time. Unfortunately, the severity of my mental health already escalated and is now ruining all aspects of my life.

Source: pixabay.com

How It All Began

It started a couple of weeks ago when I was at work when I suddenly feel ill. I didn’t know what I did after that, but I feel light-headed and dizzy. The next thing I know is that I woke up in the office clinic and asked the attendant what had happened to me. She said I fainted and that my officemates immediately brought me to the office’s clinic. I was certain that it was not something alarming. But for the sake of my peace of mind, I went to see a doctor.

On the day of the check-up, while the doctor was examining me, he asked me what I felt before I fainted. I said I was dizzy and everything around me was blurry. He advised me to go for a second opinion and do an overall check-up to get a diagnosis. He said I should seek medical assistance before any permanent damage occurs.

A couple of blood test was made, and things seemed fine. But then, when it comes to the sensory check-up, I discovered that I am having a problem with my vision. My doctor said I have glaucoma, which is an eye disorder that damages optic nerves. It’s a condition that, when not treated immediately, can lead to vision loss and permanent blindness.

The eye doctor explained to me that visual loss caused by glaucoma could progress quickly. I never told him about the discomfort and pain I endured weeks ago. Knowing that I am suffering from an eye disorder, everything becomes a slow process. I began to connect the dots and realized why I usually had those blurry and dim visions way back a couple of months ago, But I just totally shrug it off.

Source: pixabay.com

What Makes My Condition So Depressing

Truthfully, I never entirely imagine that I would encounter an eye problem. I thought it was just stress and lack of sleep that affects my vision. Sadly, the doctor said that my condition is already severe and that I am dealing with an acute angle-closure Glaucoma. It is the state where the liquid mass inside my eye rises quickly. That explains why I often have problems with a red eye, severe eye pain, and reduced or blurred vision.

Now, here’s the unfortunate catch. The damage caused by glaucoma is irreversible. I never experienced early symptoms or pain, so I never noticed it to be this bad. Though it is a slow-progressing disease of the eye, it can develop into blindness within several years. The doctor said I might probably experience a continued blurry vision over time, and eventually, I might entirely become unable to see.

It is not that I don’t understand what was going on with me because I genuinely do. I know what my condition is, and I am aware of the possibility of losing my eyesight over the next few years. But despite my effort of accepting the situation, I still get terrified about what the future holds. Even if I can convince myself today that I will be okay, I knew that I would never be able to accept my unfortunate fate. I think I would not make it alone on my own.

Source: pixabay.com

Final Thoughts

I can’t envision how my life would be years from now when I won’t be able to see my friend and family. I won’t be able to care for myself and probably depend on someone for the rest of my life. It would become difficult for me to do the activities I enjoy and love the most. I would soon give up reading, driving, cooking, and even socializing with other people. And that’s the way how it will go.

Right now, I need a support system that would stick with me through these unfortunate instances. I feel like I shouldn’t be left alone when I am in my most vulnerable state. I am emotionally and mentally drained, and I just want my loved ones to constantly tell me that things will be okay.

 …

Therapist-Approved Ways To Overcome Sensory Processing Disorder

SPD or Sensory processing disorder is an ailment that is not currently recognized in the DSM as a psychological health problem that occurs independently. SPD is where the central nervous system of the body takes in information from sensory sources or stimuli but cannot create an efficient and appropriate behavioral or motor response. It negatively impacts everyday functioning by building a disorganized and confused reaction from texture, sounds, and tastes.

Source: pixabay.com

One in every six individuals is affected by this neurological condition, and everything can be overwhelming. But it is noteworthy to remember that SPD may affect one sense or more. Individuals with the condition may react differently due to the variety of intensity of certain stimuli. It means that some of them might experience an overreaction to certain situations that may lead to intense screaming, throwing a tantrum, vomiting, etc. In other instances, it could be the opposite where people would experience under-reaction. These can include insensitivity or not responding to physical touch, not covering ears despite hearing a loud noise, or not minding the uncomfortable and strong taste of the food.

Issues with SPD can be attributed to the autism spectrum. Thus, experts believe that the condition should be included in the DSM and other diagnostic manuals. Experts understand that this is something not all professional health care providers know, and more of them are not well-trained to address its symptoms and further complications. Therefore, it is significant that people understand the need to look for someone specializing in SPD to get the best treatment for their sensory issues.

There are ways to overcome SPD, but before that, people should know the four types of the condition.

Source: pixabay.com

Sensory Modulation Disorder – It refers to the struggle of regulating the intensity of response to senses. Meaning, people with SPD may have problems with textures. Usually, they get uncomfortable touching or feeling a surface that is not that upsetting to most individuals. Examples can include disliking the texture of the food inside the mouth, hating the way their hair gets brushed, or feeling uncomfortable with other people’s touch.

Sensory Discrimination Disorder – It refers to the accurate classification of stimuli. It makes people unaware of their strengths. As such, they often encounter issues bringing too little or too much force when doing a task. They can also have problems with moving too slow or too fast while working on an activity. In some cases, they find it hard to focus on looking at specific things, especially in a cluttered space or background.

Postural Ocular Disorder – It refers to the struggle of managing physical utilization. Individuals with postural ocular disorder usually struggle to find their balance and are most likely unable to control body movements. In some unfortunate instances, some people cannot discern the dominance of their right hand from their left. Aside from that, they also suffer from visual issues such as the inability to track their eye line.

Dyspraxia – It refers to people’s inability to schedule, plan, and execute small and big things in sequence. It refers to the struggles of moving from one task to another. This specific complication can make it genuinely hard for individuals to accomplish a task that they need to do due to the effects on movement and coordination.

Source: pixabay.com

The Treatment For SPD

Occupational Therapy – The most effective and recommended type of treatment for SPD is occupational therapy. It’s a form of therapy that helps those individuals struggling with physical or mental health problems. The process encourages rehabilitation that supports people’s better performance in their day-to-day lives. It’s a type of therapy that assists people in understanding their needs to better engage in meaningful activities. Occupational therapy meets the needs for emotional and behavioral adjustments to accomplish a goal accordingly.

DIR Method – It is a type of treatment that works well with children with SPD. It is where therapists or caregivers exert a special effort to tailor interactions and communication to meet the children’s unique functional developmental level to reach certain milestones. That is within the framework of their processing indifferences that caters to various problem-solving exercises. In some instances, the method typically involves a team approach with speech therapy, educational programs, and occupational therapy.

Listening And Vision Therapy– SPD can negatively promote physical health problems. Thus, it would help if individuals would take time to realize the need for listening and visual therapy. They can start by listening to various sound frequencies and patterns to stimulate the brain while working on a balancing motor task. On the other hand, visual therapy improves individuals’ eye-motor skills, especially when they have trouble reading or writing.

These are a few of the therapies that may help with SPD. Self counseling and other treatments can be beneficial as well, like speech and language therapy.  In instances that SPD symptoms are way out of hand, medication and lifestyle change can also be useful.

 …

FAQs About Art Therapy Treatment

Creative treatment utilizes innovative materials to improve one’s mental well-being, social skills, and coping skills. A board-certified professional facilitates a  treatment session where the client may draw, paint, sculpt, or collage to express their thoughts and sentiments and understand their inner selves. Let’s dive deeper into understanding what art therapy is all about.

There is a saying that art encompasses everything in life. Almost anything in this world can be considered an art. Many found that creative expression includes nature, music, language, literature, technology, tourism, media, and many others. It is such a multifaceted concept, and it has no boundaries.

History shows creativity as a means of communication way back. Long before men could write with words or speak, creativity has been a way to express thoughts. Without a doubt, it plays an influential role since civilization began.

However, this has not only allowed people to express themselves creatively but as well as to become curious and inquisitive. Many of today’s tools and technology may be directly correlated to science.  Hence, there are links between interweaving creativity and science, particularly medical science.

All About Art Therapy

The use of art in medical science has long been around. According to historians, it started as early as the 3rd century BC. It has allowed individuals to illustrate and document their ability and medical knowledge relevant to today’s different healthcare independent practices. From human anatomy to designing diagnostic models to surgery to drug formulation, creative intervention has significantly and continuously helped the healthcare industry.

Fast forward to today, art in medical science has progressively evolved alongside humankind. As primary care and public health are growing, many physicians continuously look for multiple treatment approaches for different physical and mental health conditions. At the beginning of the 1930s, it has become an adjunct to the health sector since its introduction to the medical field.

Artistic intervention is a multidisciplinary field utilizing art-based methods and creativeness as a healing component. Evidence shows a strong link between how visual design, multimedia, and performance positively impact an individual’s well-being. Since then, doctors have promoted creativity as mental health care for people with disabilities of all ages, may it be physical disabilities or mental health problems.

FAQs

If you are interested to know more about expressive arts, below are the frequently asked questions about this topic.

What Is Art Therapy?

Art therapy services are a form of psychotherapy that utilizes innovative materials and creative expressions to improve mental wellness. A professional art therapist facilitates a session where clients may draw, paint, sculpt, or collage a story to express and share emotions and understand their inner selves.

  • Is it for everyone?

It works for any individual of any age – from children to seniors to decide. Sessions may be done individually, by group, by family, or by the community.

  • Do you have to be good at it to be a specialist?

No. Art therapists are trained but do not necessarily need to be good at art. The focus of art therapy is not on creative techniques and creative form but on sharing and expressing one’s mind and inner self.

    • What are its disadvantages?

A disadvantage of expressive arts therapies is the discomfort caused by unfamiliar emotional responses or reactions because of therapy activities. Such feelings include increased pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and emotional issues and trauma.

    • How does it help anxiety?

Creative activities help an individual be calmer and less stressed by reducing anxiety. It also provides a sense of being in a state of control, minimizing sentiments of loss of control associated with stress.

What Can Therapy Help You With?

Art counseling helps boost your mental wellness. It also improves people’s psychological health from mental and emotional health issues like addiction, grief, depression, and trauma.

    • How does it help self-esteem?

Artistic counseling builds an individual’s self-awareness, helping people recognize hidden sentiments. Through this artistic experience, people begin to be more accepting of themselves, thus improving self-esteem.

    • Is it in demand?

Recently, there has been an increasing demand for art media specialist jobs. This increase implies the growing public interest in artistic expression counseling for improving mental wellness.

How Long Does It Take To Become An Art Therapy Specialist?

According to the American art therapy association, art therapists go to school for a minimum of six years to be licensed in the field. It includes four years of an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree in art therapy or a related field, and two years of an art therapy graduate program. The American Art therapy Association also spans many branches of the creative arts, such as music therapy and dance therapy.

    • Who invented it?

The establishment of art therapy started in the mid-20th century in the United States and Europe. Adrian Hill, a World War I artist, coined the term “art therapy” in 1942 when he discovered the benefits of painting and drawing while he was recovering from tuberculosis.

    • How can I do it at home?

There are several ways to do art therapy at home. Some of the most common activities are creating an emotion wheel, painting your sentiments, creating a journal, and sculpting your anger. You may also ask your art therapists for the creative process of activities to do at home to improve your psychological health.

The Creative Treatment

It is astonishing to know that art can be a form of remedy. The relationship between art and medicine is genuinely magnificent. Our knowledge about therapy has only been limited to traditional medicine, which often only utilizes verbal communication. Who knew that the future of art-making could aid in the therapeutic recovery of patients with mental illness?

Although still an emerging field, art therapy may become a valuable remedy approach in the medical industry. art therapists who wish to do a private practice need to have supplementary training, educational requirements, and information and should be board certified. They should pass the art therapy credentials board.

Art Therapy Insights And Final Thoughts

    1. The therapy’s power allows the sufferer to release stresses, anxieties, and fears through different gifted processes such as drawings, paintings, sculpture, poetry, dance, and many more. Simultaneously, it allows people to become more self-aware, shows a noticeable boost of confidence, learns to explore, and improved mental health.
    2. Other clients also get to enhance a variety of gifted skills while in practice. It has also become an effective medium for creating a comfortable and safe environment for clients. At the same time, this practice makes it easier for them to trust chosen specialists.

It is a common misconception that creating artwork is exclusive to those who are good with the arts. Truth is, everyone is welcome in this kind of treatment. Art therapy is a powerful tool in helping people deal with some health conditions and promoting growth and the healing therapeutic process. As a famous proverb goes, …

Mental Health Care For People With Disability

Living with a mobility related disability in this world poses significant challenges. Simple physical and social activities, such as getting yourself a glass of water or going to the bathroom, can be a struggle every day. On top of that, being limited physically usually comes with frustration, depression, frequent mental distress, or anxiety.

Sadly, these mental health problems are often overlooked or shoved off to a lower priority because their physical disability status appears more pressing. But this should not be the case in protecting health. The mental health care for people with disabilities is just as important as their physical needs. It’s not about traumatic brain injury or the struggle with developmental disabilities that affects the quality of life. Instead, it’s people with intellectual, emotional, physical, and mental complications that make things worse.

Taking care of their mental health will not only solve one public health concern but will also strengthen them to better cope with their situation.  

Mental Health Care Issues And People With Disabilities 

According to studies, people living with a disability, such as with physical and sensory problems, are more likely to experience psychological issues than others. Some of these conditions include but are not limited to, depression and anxiety

Disability is just an umbrella term for people with an impairment, be it psychological, physical, or sensory. Although the frustrations from the constraints are common in every case, it is still critical to distinguish how each one differs when it comes to triggers. For people with cerebral palsy, mental health issues can be triggered by the difficulty of communicating with or finding friends. These triggers or stressors also apply to other forms of disabilities.

What are some of the coping mechanisms people with disabilities, like intellectual disabilities, can do for their traumatic brain issues of mental illness? 

Mental Health Care For People Living With Disabilities – Habits

Acceptance Of People With Disabilities

According to the Department of Health, the first step to achieving a better state of mind is to accept your situation if you have a mental illness or not. The frustrations that you sometimes feel comes from not being able to do what you want and need. However, the only way you can work around your disability is by acknowledging and accepting in yourself that you have special needs. It does not mean that you will pity yourself; it means realizing that you can still pursue goals and dreams despite your situation.

Feelings of frustrations and self-pity are valid and normal, and you should allow yourself to feel them. Do not suppress your feelings away – if you feel sad, then acknowledge it, and if you feel sorry for yourself right now, then feel it. The more you hide or deny it, the worse you will feel and might even develop mental health conditions. It can also resurface in a more unpleasant way, sooner or later.

The important thing here is that you develop ways or find outlets where you can healthily release your emotions to take care of your emotional health and physical health. You can let your feelings out through journaling, talking to a friend, getting psychotherapy services or mental health treatment from mental health care providers, or self-expression in arts or writing to avoid mental health concerns.

Do Not Shut Your Doors Down  

People with disabilities are more likely to self-isolate for various reasons. They could feel stigmatized and discriminated. There are instances when they may feel like a burden to others or sometimes comes with the overall feeling of hopelessness. These situations are triggering and even traumatizing, leading to mental disorders, but be careful not to overgeneralize. However, know that there are people out there who genuinely care and support you. 

Take Care Of Your Health 

Physical and mental health are two connected things; you can’t prioritize one over the other and develop poor health behaviors. Take care of your health by observing healthy habits, like getting enough sleep, proper diet, and regular exercise. If you feel good inside and your blood flow is in shape, you are also likely to have a lighter mood. 

In doing exercises, slowly ease in. It’s best not to push yourself right away with strenuous activities. Find out which exercises are appropriate for you for maximum health benefits. You can research first about it, or much better if you consult a physician or a gym instructor to guide you properly.

Find A Hobby Or A Passion 

As the mentioned information, accepting your condition is not a ticket to feel useless and hopeless. You may have extra needs, but you have the same rights as other people – you deserve to live your life and enjoy it. Find something to learn, pursue whatever your dreams may be. Finding and doing something you love will keep you busy and fewer chances of derailing in unhelpful thoughts.

There might be a few constraints here and there, especially in health care access, but know that you are capable of achieving your desires. If people like Stephen Hawking, Hellen Keller, or Beethoven have been successful in their respective fields, so can you. 

Every context may differ, and not everyone has the resources, but the defining ingredient to success is your will power. Whatever the odds may be, find your drive because, without it, success is almost impossible. Without it, it is impossible.

The Bigger Picture For Mental Health Among People With Disabilities: Advocacy 

We must shed light on how mental health problems of people with disabilities are a public health issue.

People with disabilities still have a hard time seeking psychological help because their mental health symptoms are often downplayed and merely viewed as a normal consequence of their disability. Sometimes, health insurance does not cover mental health services and treatment care to other chronic health conditions. Hence, they are left unaddressed and unacknowledged. This concern needs intervention at the policy and systemic level, such as institutionalizing training for the topic among physicians and your health provider and having a mental health treatment plan in place to maximize disability benefits. But you can do your part in raising awareness, too.  

You can become an advocate of people with disabilities and help mental health providers, mental health professionals, human services experts, and mental behavioral health specialists raise awareness in the health systems. Helping others and doing health services and volunteer work also uplifts the mood and overall outlook in life. Besides, who else will represent and give voice to the community but you?

Mental Health Care For People With Disability FAQs

How can living with a disability impact people’s lives?

What Are The Most Important Issues Facing Individuals Experiencing Physical Limitations?

How will you assist persons with disabilities?

How can you communicate and consult with people with disabilities?

How does the environment affect the …

The Role Of Family For Infants With Hearing Disability

Sound is a potent stimulus for any human being. Spoken communication is one means for people to interact with one another and their surroundings. However, the ability to hear may be lost at any stage of life or could be even absent upon birth.

Hearing loss may result in several problems in the life of people as well as their significant others. In infants, a test for hearing ability can detect signs of hearing loss. It is vital to determine if the infant has hearing loss to provide appropriate interventions to cater to the infant and the family’s needs.

Some effects of undetected hearing loss include speech and language retardation as well as impairing cognitive development. Appropriate and timely interventions can alleviate and could even improve the lives of infants with this condition. 

The family plays an essential role in the life of infants with hearing disabilities. As the primary caregiver, the family should identify their infant’s needs, especially if diagnosed with hearing disability.

Understanding The Nature Of The Condition

The family needs to understand the condition of the infant. Accepting the fact that an infant has a hearing impairment is crucial because it helps in decision making. Often, neglect of the situation stems from denial and, therefore, affects the infant’s development because the specific needs are not met.

It is essential to learn about the condition of the infant, and it is best to seek help from professionals. They can provide knowledge-based interventions that can, directly and indirectly, address the needs of the infant.

Families should seek advice from reputable and well-established professionals and institutions specialized in ear and hearing health.

By understanding the nature of the hearing disability, the family can take necessary actions and be confident in caring for their infant. It allows them to be relieved of doubts and misconceptions to prevent making unnecessary actions that could potentially harm the infant.

Addressing The Needs Of The Infant

An infant with a hearing disability has unique needs in order to develop and live well. Since hearing is vital in communication, treating hearing loss can allow normal development of language skills in many infants.

In addressing the infant’s needs, it is essential to note that several treatments can help improve the child’s condition. Upon seeking recommended interventions from professionals, the family is equipped with the knowledge to address the infants’ needs.

With the advice from professionals, you can opt for several treatments or focus on specific procedures that are more important. It is worth noting that the right interventions can significantly benefit the infant with profound hearing loss.

Aside from the specialized interventions, the basic needs of the infant are still urgent.

Maintaining good health and well-being is necessary in order for the treatments to be as effective as possible. An infant with hearing disability in good physical health can avoid unnecessary health issues concerning beyond the hearing disability.

Preparing For The Future Of The Infant And Family

Caring for an infant with a hearing disability is an enormous task for any family. With proper understanding and decision making, the family may help the infant develop well and overcome impaired speech and cognitive development.

After the treatments and procedures, the infant can exhibit healthy growth and could go on to a normal life.

Hearing disability in infants can be cured; however, it is not always the case for most patients. In some scenarios, the treatments may not work, and other conditions can affect the efficacy of some procedures.

Family members should work hand in hand with professionals to address these problems in order to select more appropriate actions. It is best not to lose hope and to seek help as it is still in progress because the nature of the condition becomes clearer.

It is crucial that the infant eventually grow into an individual and therefore prepared for the future. Whether or not the infant is well, the infant needs to develop as healthy as possible.

Planning for the future with significant consideration of the child’s condition is necessary. The infant must establish a secure future and grow with a support system that can help them overcome their challenges and struggles.

The family is essential in the life of infants with hearing disabilities.

They are mostly responsible for the general welfare of the infant and in addressing their particular needs. The family should understand the nature of the infant’s condition for them to provide appropriate interventions and improve the well-being of the child.

The role of the family is very significant in the lives of infants with hearing disabilities as they are the people that can understand, accept, and have hope for them. Do not underestimate the wonders that family support can contribute.

Teaching Strategies For Students With Hearing Loss

The 2019 Disabled Child Event emphasized the importance of taking an inclusive teaching approach to people with disabilities. It includes those with hearing loss. Admit or not, students with hearing impairment have a hard time taking studying. The reality is, most of these individuals feel isolated in the learning environment we have right now. With these in mind, here are some teaching strategies you can use to make school systems more inclusive.

Improve Classroom Conditions

Students with hearing conditions need a modified classroom. This kind of room includes well-designed acoustics for optimal sound production, proper visual lighting, and little distractive noise. It would help if you also considered putting them in the front so that they’ll have a more unobstructed view of your visuals. Their sight is their primary weapon in learning.

Provide Transcripts

Flashing powerpoints or writing on blackboards are not enough. Some information that you say on your adlib while teaching, but are not in the visuals. Therefore, the best way to go about this is to provide transcripts that will help them catch up with the discussion. They can review this after to ensure that they’ve understood the lesson correctly.

Repeat Important Concepts

You need to repeat the critical concepts several times so that they’ll take everything in. Do the same practice if ever other students ask some questions before giving your response. This way, they won’t be confused with what’s happening around them. This approach will also help them just in case they have the same question in mind.

Maximize Assistive Technical Capabilities

Years of research and development allowed educators to use tools to teach those with auditory abilities. These are known as assistive technical capabilities. Some examples of these include:

  • Personal Amplification Systems
  • C-Print which has a speech-to-text feature
  • Speech synthesizer
  • FM systems to improve sound an instructor’s microphone

Teaching a student with hearing loss might be a little challenging. However, an educator’s job is to make every teaching approach as inclusive as possible. Apply these tips in your classroom, and you will spearhead positive change in their lives.

Challenges Of Being Blind During A Pandemic

I grew up around visually impaired people, given that my mother is one of them. She lost most of her vision due to glaucoma when I was merely an infant. My father was not around at all, so she had to raise me on her own.

Despite my mother’s blindness, I never thought much about her disability. It was not because I was insensitive but because she did everything that a non-disabled person could do. My mother worked as an accountant, did all the grocery shopping at home, and even did all the household chores until I was old enough to help.

I only realized how challenging it must be to have a visual impairment when the COVID-19 pandemic happened. Here are a few issues that my mother and other visually impaired folks experience now:

You Cannot Ask For Help From Strangers

A lot of sight-impaired individuals get through the day with the help of people they may or may not know. Say, if someone sees that you have a tough time finding the door, they will guide you to it. If you cannot reach a product at the supermarket, they will put it in your cart. Often, you need not ask—those helpful strangers just do it.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, people have become aloof, especially when they are in a public place. Assuming you used to get assistance from random folks before asking, you may hardly find anyone willing to do it these days. No one feels like coming in contact with strangers, regardless if they have an impairment and genuinely need help.

You Cannot Touch Anything In Public

When there is not another soul to extend a helping hand, a blind person can typically get things done by using their sense of touch. Meaning to say, they tend to feel the walls to know the right direction or avoid bumping into it. That’s how they figure out how to use public transportation, climb up the stairs, or hit the correct elevator button.

Unfortunately, no one can touch any public property at the moment. The virus may be sticking to those walls and buttons, and you can contract COVID-19. Hence, things can be tricky from the moment you step out of the house even if you have a walking stick.

You Cannot Shop Online Easily

Yes, visually impaired folks can do online shopping. They typically have an app that reads the text on the screen, so they don’t need another set of eyes to read for them. Then, when the package comes, the driver or delivery personnel can help check the items and ensure that everything has arrived.

Still, this advancement has proven to be not too helpful during a crisis in which other people are panic buying. After all, it takes a while for the app to change whatever’s on-screen from text to speech. The delivery guys are also forbidden to come in close contact with the customers, so they cannot open the package for the blind. For that reason, the sight-impaired individuals have no choice but to either accept or reject the parcels with missing items.

Final Thoughts

My mother has lived through the challenges mentioned above because of this pandemic, and it saddens her to know that she needs to stay at home more often these days. It makes me feel sadder that the once-helpful folks no longer even want to greet you, but I understand that they only wish to prevent virus transmission. Alas, it may take many moons before things return to their natural state, and it’s safe for visually impaired people to go out by themselves again. All we can do is ask for assistance from a close relative or neighbor for now.…

Classroom Support For Visually Impaired Students

The 2018 Disability Conference promotes the accessibility and inclusivity of various institutions and provides support to differently-abled people and their families. It inclines with the conference focus of equipping differently-abled people to have the same opportunities as everyone else. In line with this, institutions like schools have to ensure that all students have equal chances and access to learning. 

For students who are dealing with notable visual impairment, the students must have access to a Certified Teacher for the Visually Impaired (TVI), including a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) for consultation. However, there are practical tips teacher can implement for teaching visually impaired students inside the classroom, and these are: 

  • Addressing The Students By Their Name

Teachers should speak to their students using their names, whether they are visually impaired or not. For visually impaired students, addressing them with their names allows them to distinguish when their teachers are talking to them or asking them a question. Teachers should approach all the students by their names to help visually impaired students identify their other classmates and create connections inside the classroom. They should also encourage all their students to do the same when they’re talking with each other.

  • Always Explain Visual Materials

You have to clearly explain all the visual materials you’re using while you’re teaching visually impaired students. In this way, all of your students can participate and will feel included in conversations. You should describe the image, and if you’re writing on the chalkboard or whiteboard, it’s best to dictate the words. Avoid using gestures so that everyone can gain access to the information and follow along. Always use positional concepts such as behind/in front or left/right and descriptive sentences.

  • Provide Beneficial Seats

Organize advantageous seats for your students who are visually impaired to help them become comfortable and safe inside the room. For example, if a student is only capable of using his/ her left eye, then place him/her on the right side of the classroom. Avoid making them sit facing a light source as well so that they won’t face difficulties. 

  • Treat All Your Students Fairly

As much as you are making adjustments for your visually impaired students, it’s also essential that you uphold them on the same rules and behavioral expectations like everyone else in the class. Avoid giving preference treatments to them so that they’ll feel like one of their peers inside the classroom.